Brussels, 06/07/2000 (Agence Europe) - The road haulier federations of seven Member States have sent an "open letter" to the president of the Transport Council, French Minister Jean-Claude Gayssot, so that he makes a rise in oil prices a priority. "Everywhere in the European Union, road carriers suffer from the incredible hike in the price of fuel", write the road carrier federations, stressing that prices have increased 35% in 18 months, this being a real shock for road transport companies. Road carriers call on Jean-Claude Gayssot to be their "spokesman in respect to the President of the European finance Ministers Council currently in office to obtain a specific fiscal measure on the European level which guarantees road carriers the conditions of balanced competition on a long term basis". The Open Letter was signed by the French, Spanish, Belgian, German, Italian, Dutch and Portuguese federations.